Why You Should make a Touring Plan for Your Next WDW Vacation

I know many people who don't want to have a touring plan laid out before they go to WDW. They think a touring plan means they will spend their vacation watching the clock and rushing from ride to ride to restaurant to meet and greet. So they show up with no plans and are frustrated to find all the rides they want to ride have long lines and they can't get into the restaurant they heard so much about.

My experience is that having a touring plans means everyone has a great trip. I schedule rides, but allow lots of wiggle room for "smelling the flowers". Also, taking those necessary pictures in front of the castle, browsing in the stores, and eating a Mickey-shaped treat.

By arrving before "rope drop", we beat the crowds to the headliner rides. By making wise FastPass Plus (FP+) reservations at midnight on my 60th day before arrival, I can spend my late morning time redeeming my FP+, using the time between for rides with shorter queues.

I have only used the Advanced Dining Reservation option once, but it let me eat at a popular restaurant on a busy night. :-)

For those who go to the parks frequently, this isn't really a big deal. If you don't get to ride Space Mountain this trip, you know you will be back soon to try again.

But for families who only get to Walt Disney World once and a while (or only once!), spending the time beforehand to put together a touring plan is a great investment in your vacation.

Touring Plans for Spring 2015 Disney Trip

If you want to read my trip report for this trip, it is here: Trip Report

Magic Kingdom:







The maps shown here are all from www.easywdw.com.

For those interested in how our actual touring lined up with our plans, here is what I posted on the EasyWDW forum:

MK was a most recommended park that day. The predicted crowd level was 4.

I got a smart phone shortly before we went, so I did Facebook check-ins for most of the rides we went on. According to those check-ins, here is how we did:

Peter Pan – 9:16a
Seven Dwarfs - no check-in, FP+
It’s a Small World – 9:54
Haunted mansion - no check-in
Splash – front row! – 10:32
Pirates of the Caribbean – 11:22 FP+
Enchanted Tiki Room – 11:46
Sleepy Hollow Lunch – 12:27
Space Mountain - no check-in, FP+
Stitch’s Great Escape – 1:42
Buzz Lightyear – 2:10 FP+
People Mover
Festival of Fantasy Parade – outside Liberty Tavern
Walt Disney World Railroad
Mad Tea Party – 4:59 (twice)
Dumbo – 5:17
Barnstormer – 5:23
Journey of the Little Mermaid – 6:00
Tried to meet Rapunzel and Cinderella – 6:23
Random Pooh sighting – 7:27
Carousel of Progress – 7:57
Met Mickey – 8:20 FP+
Met Ariel – 9:03 FP+
Space Mountain – 9:22 FP+
Celebrate the Magic – 9:45
Wishes – 10:00
Waited for parade in rocking chair in FrontierLand
Main Street Electric Parade – 11:15

For our Hollywood Studios and Epcot day, here is how we did:

1. Toy Story – No check in
2. Rockin’ Roller Coaster – 9:39
3. Voyage of the Little Mermaid show – 9:54
4. Great Movie Ride – 10:29
5. Trolley Car Café for Starbucks – 11:06
6. Frozen Sing-Along – 11:26
7. Carrot Cake Cookies – 12:10
8. Boat to Epcot – 12:26
9. Meeting Mary Poppins – 1:21
10. Citron Slushie in France – 2:05
11. Epcot Character Spot – 3:02
12. Spaceship Earth - 3:29
13. The Seas with Nemo – 4:12
14. Living with the Land – 5:29
15. Test Track – 6:49
16. Check-in for Rose and Crown ADR 7:12 (7:10 ADR)
17. Seated for ADR 7:38
18. Canadian Pavilion – 8:29
19. Mexico Pavilion – 8:30
20. Norway Pavilion – 8:32
21. China Pavilion – 8:32
22. Germany Pavilion – 8:35
23. Italy Pavilion – 8:35
24. American Adventure – 8:37
25. Japan Pavilion – 8:39
26. Morocco Pavilion – 8:40
27. France Pavilion – 8:41
28. United Kingdom Pavilion – 8:43
29. Illuminations from bridge between UK and France – 9:00
30. Spent the rest of the evening wandering counter-clockwise through World Showcase, ending with 3 Amigos ride in Mexico at 11:10